Prince Severus
by esama
Summary: Severus's birth isn't exactly a remarkable event for Eileen and Tobias. Harry begs to differ. Time travel plotbunny, mildly on crack, warning for OOC Harry.
1. Prince Severus

**Prince Severus**

Eileen felt like dying. It wasn't the pain, no, though the aching of her lower body was more than she would've been able to handle if it had not been considerably less than it had been mere moments ago. It wasn't the embarrassment either, the agony of earlier had washed all that away and though some of it was now slowly trickling, oozing back like honey lazily out of jar, it felt inconsequential. She'd be shamed later on, outraged, perhaps even thoroughly ruined… but now she had no energy for it. And that was it. She felt like dying because at that moment, she felt just about tired enough for it.

"Congratulations, ma'am!" chirped the nurse while holding the screaming infant in her hands. "It's a healthy boy!"

No, Eileen thought blearily. It was a healthy monster that had invested her womb for nine months and now had torn it's way through her - in the dead of the night in middle of the bleeding winter, of course. A healthy monster seeded by another who had the gall to be who knows where while she was giving birth to his first born probably at the pub. Men! She had heard this from her own mother - her own father had taken off too when she had been born. They were like that. Oh, fiction had them seem so nice and helpful and adorably nervous when their kids were born, but in reality the first sign of kid, they took off like someone had set their tails on fire.

"Do you want to hold him?" the nurse asked eagerly while the doctor gave her an irritated look, trying to reach close enough to cut the umbilical cord.

"Not before he's cleaned up," the fresh mother answered. "Also, I'd like some painkillers now. Or something to knock me out. Which ever works fastest."

No one listened to her, but thankfully the doctor did snatch the child from the over enthusiastic nurse - probably her first labour, the mother thought irritably. Eileen closed her eyes and swallowed, wishing for some water - no, scratch that, some fire whiskey would've hit the spot nicely right about now. Somehow distantly she heard her baby being washed and weighted and measured. Three thousand four hundred and eighty grams, fifty two centimetres, healthy average.

Then the screaming thing was being handed to her and she had to open her eyes. She frowned. Of course she had never thought children were cute, infants especially. They were red and wrinkly and screamed a lot - all in all, they were ugly. But, while disgruntled accepting the baby and trying to hold him right, she had to admit. The tiny fingers were just slightly cute. She hadn't though they'd be so small. Every child's hands were small, obviously, but this kid's were Lilliputian. His toes too. Nose, not so much.

"What are you going to name him, ma'am?" the too eager nurse asked.

She opened her mouth and then closed it. In all honesty, she hadn't given it any thought. And neither had her husband. Neither of them had prepared for a child that well, she admitted to herself. Frowning she thought about what sort of name would be suitable. She could give the kid her own father's name, that was traditional enough. Or maybe not, considering that she had been disowned. Though on other hand, it would make interesting slap against the bastard's face, naming her ugly little half blood child with a nice pureblood name. Her own husband wouldn't much care for it, though.

She smiled mirthlessly. Though having a son named after her own bastard father, well… it would be amusing, but having that name around day in and day out would be unbearable. No, she'd name the child after her grandfather. There was a nice and strong name. and she had liked her grandfather, before the old man had died of course. Yes, that would suit fine. Her husband still wouldn't like it much, but what did she care, really? Her husband didn't like anything much, after all.

"Severus," she said while trying to wiggle into better position. "His name will be Severus, hm… Severus Tobias Snape." It was traditional enough and perhaps having their son bear his own name would appease her husband some. Probably not.

"That sounds like fine name!" the nurse nodded happily. "Very unique! Does it come from some legend, or myth? I have friend who is named for one of those Arthurian tales…"

"That's quite enough," the doctor cut in before the nurse could get on a roll. "Let's clean up, shall we? Take those away, and wash those…"

Eileen tuned the pair of them out and stared at her wrinkly child. He really was an ugly little thing. Well, maybe once he wouldn't be so red and wrinkly, he'd look a little better. She doubted it though. The babies she had had misfortune of seeing in her time had never really looked like much. And they made so much noise. And smelled. She sighed mournfully and almost wished she had abided by her father's wishes. It had been worth it to marry Tobias just to see the look upon her father's face when she did, but if she hadn't… well, at least that way she would've had a house-elf to thrust the brat upon. Except of course if she hadn't married Tobias then it would've been another brat, and not Severus.

While she pondered about how to accommodate the child in her and Tobias's small house and wondering whether or not she should curse Tobias for not being there, she was taken to a private room while Severus was taken off somewhere elsewhere where they'd be doing some sort of tests or whatnot. She didn't particularly care. Some privacy and sleep sounded wonderful though - and maybe bath afterwards. She was absolutely disgusted with herself as she was, all dirty and sweaty and no doubt horrible to look at. Not that the latter part was anything new.

"Now, you must have some rest and regain your strength," the annoying nurse said before leaving. "Rest assured, we will be taking special care of little Severus while you rest - and you'll see him first thing tomorrow!"

"Spare me," Eileen murmured, but thankfully the nurse was already gone. Sighing, the witch lay back against the pillows of the uncomfortable hospital bed, and tried very hard to lose consciousness.

She was interrupted by a polite clearing of a throat. The first time it sounded she tried to ignore it as figment of her imagination, but the second time was so loud that she was forced to open her eyes. "Yes, damn you?" she croaked without even knowing who or what it was that was so keen on not letting her sleep. "What do you want?"

"Ah, you are awake then, madam. Good," a male voice said while a form stepped out of shadows of the room. A wizard judging by the robes and heavy cloak. He was young, handsome, had glasses, and was completely out of place in the muggle hospital. "Allow me to introduce myself --"

"I don't care. Go away," she said, closing her eyes again. Stupid wizards. This was why she had decided to leave magical world. They popped in and out of nowhere without as much as how-do-you-do. "Come back tomorrow. Or, preferably, _don't_."

"Now, now, no need to be so grouchy," the man said cheerfully while walking closer. "This will take but a moment. My name is Harry and I am here to pledge allegiance to your son."

Eileen was still for a moment, half asleep, before the words sunk in. Blearily, she opened her eyes and stared up to the young man who was now standing over her, smiling. "Excuse me?" she said slowly.

"My name is Harry and I am here to pledge allegiance to your son," the man repeated calmly, still smiling like a half wit. "I thought it would be polite to announce my intentions to you, as you are his mother, before I will go and attend to him."

Eileen was quiet for a moment, taking in the wizard's outwards appearance - he seemed well fed and clean, but his robes weren't the finest quality, so he probably did well for himself but wasn't rich. He didn't look like a lunatic, though, but with wizards that could really mean anything. The best of them never looked like lunatics and they usually were. And the lunatic looking ones often were the sanest.

She considered telling him to go away, to shove off, to stick his head in pit of lava and die, but decided against it. After all, he was a wizard, most likely one in possession of a wand and all, whilst she was dressed in mere hospital gown and wasn't even sure if she had brought her wand with her. So, instead of issuing orders, threats or even insults, she merely asked, "Why?"

"Because in the future he saved my life more times than anyone cared to count, and got himself killed for it," the young wizard answered with odd, frank solemnity about him. "I quite literally owe my life several times over to him. But he died and I was unable to repay back my debts, so instead I am here now to do so. The start of his life seems like the perfect place to start."

It took Eileen a moment to go through the words and figure out their meaning. "You're lying," she then said, more a test than statement or even an accusation. Maybe this was some trick of her family's, maybe they thought that by sending her a servant or something of the sort they could coax her back into the magical world? She couldn't quite figure out why, though. They had disowned her after all, so it wouldn't make much sense. Also, why the ridiculous tale if it was her family behind it?

"I am afraid not, madam," the man answered with a shake of his head, before getting some steel into his eyes. "I won't not tell you about the future events except perhaps those I intend to change, but I will tell you this much. Under your husband's care, you son will grow abused and severely neglected. You yourself will soon begin experiencing semi-regular beatings at your husband's hand, until in less than fifteen years you will die in rather suspicious circumstances - most likely to internal bleeding or infection. Your husband will eventually drink himself to death, but not before turning your son into a worse man than your own father by his physical and verbal abuse."

Eileen blinked and then frowned. "Tobias isn't that bad."

"Yes, he is," the wizard, Harry answered calmly, with perfect certainty. "Or if he isn't yet, then he soon will. In either case, I am here with the intentions of stopping most of that from happening."

The witch blinked. "To pay back this… dept you think you owe to my son," she confirmed.

"Yes."

Eileen frowned. The man was either a plain regular every day lunatic or very powerful lunatic from the future. She couldn't quite decide which was worse. "If you're really from the future, changing the past will change your own history, you know. It's illegal - and you could very well write yourself out of history."

"Actually, changing past is not illegal. Just not very wise thing to do. No one actually prohibited it with laws because if those laws are broken, well, convicting the guilty party would be next to impossible. And, actually, it is equally hard to write myself out of history. I can write out the person who would've became me, but I will remain myself," the man answered with perfect calm. "Just by being here, I am already part of history and the world around me. Only way to undo myself now would be to kill myself."

"Paradox --"

"No such thing," the man answered with insufferable calm. "Trust me, my friend researched this. She had some experience with time magic. Time is not lineal line. It's more like a… tree."

"A tree?"

"Yes, a tree. And we're in one of the branch. I come from one branch branching from that branch, but now that I am here, we will go down another branch - the original branch from which I came from will continue on without me, and my actions here will not affect it anymore than branches can grow back together," the man nodded.

Eileen stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out what the hell he was saying. After a moment she decided against trying. She was too tired to try and talk about time travel trees. Or it's branches. "Okay, fine. So you are here to swear allegiance to my son and make him live a better life?"

"Among other things," the man nodded.

"Why _allegiance_? My son isn't a lord or a king or anything like that. He's a _halfblood_ for Merlin's sake."

"Well, I think allegiance sounds better than servitude or slavery," the wizard shrugged.

"Oh," Eileen murmured and blinked. Did life debts really force someone to do that? The only way to way back a life debt would be to return it - to save the life of the person who saved your life - as far as she knew anyway. If Severus really had saved this Harry as many times as the man seemed to think, then it would perhaps take a while to bay it back, but this sort of thing wasn't necessary. "You know, I don't think a life debt forces you do that. Even if there are several."

"Well, no," the man admitted. "But it gave me a perfect excuse to travel back in time to meddle with timelines as I see fit."

"Oh," she said again. Well, that made more sense. Or not. "That doesn't explain the servitude."

Harry smiled. "It helps the meddling. Trust me. Also, since your son did save my life so many times, I kind of feel honour bound to do something for it. You know, aside from saving his life here and there."

"Right. Will you do us any harm?"

"Your husband maybe if he intends to harm your son. Or to yourself, since your son will no doubt grow fond of you in no time at all," Harry nodded. "But since it's healthy for a child to have two secure parents, I imagine I will just show your husband error of his ways and leave it at that."

That didn't sound too promising but Eileen was too tired to argue - and had a feeling that it would make little difference at this point. "Alright," she merely said, and closed her eyes for a moment to try and regain her strength. "Does this mean you will coming to live with us? Our house is pretty small - just trying to fit Severus might be a bit hard --"

"Ah, no," the man smiled. "No, you will come to live with me, I think. Once I have a house that is. I will probably have to build it, but it shouldn't take too long. It will be bigger than your row house, I promise. All four of us will fit quite nicely, I will make sure of it. And any other children if you intend to have some more."

"I don't think my husband will like that," Eileen said slowly.

Harry smiled gently. "I don't think your husband will have much choice," he said, and stood up. "Well, now that our introductions are over, I will go and introduce myself to my prince if you don't mind."

"Your prince is in infant. And probably a sleep. And not a prince at all," Eileen murmured with a yawn.

"Time, rest and some paperwork will change that, I assure you. Severus Prince sounds much better than Severus Snape does anyway. You can't even imagine the way he will be teased for that name, seriously…" the rest of the man's speech faded away as he walked away and Eileen fell asleep.

-

Tobias downed the rest of his drink with a flourish, enjoying the warm atmosphere of the friendly pub and the thunderous laugher of his fellow drinkers. This was the life. Telly on and displaying some game, music coming form a nearby radio and good pint of beer at his fingers - and another just an order away. Someone was telling an obscene tale - or very long joke, he couldn't quite say - while somewhere in the corner some woman was weeping about something while some other women tried to comfort her. And the bartender was there, offering him another pint. _This_ was the life.

"… and so I took a nice firm grip and good footing and got ready to pull - and I mean really pull with all my strength - when the thing came clean off. And I went flying --" someone was telling but Tobias had never had hand of the story. Something about construction machines, he believed. Truck maybe. He hadn't paid attention.

Yes, he thought while ordering another pint and immediately taken a hearty gulp. This was the life a man was supposed to lead. He was still young, after all. He had a good job at the textile mill - well, it paid the bills anyway - and he had a good enough home. True, his wife wasn't much of a looker, but he couldn't complain - she was wicked in bed and in all brutal honesty, he wasn't much of a looker either. So that was fine as it was. Kind of. The whole baby thing was probably bearable too.

But he would be damned if he would let this whole being domestic thing interfere with his life style. He was a _man_. Women took care of the babies. They gave birth to them after all, so it was only right. She'd take care of the brat. He'd bring food to the table. And for his troubles he deserved a day off. A day just like this, when he could enjoy happy company and good gold beer. _This_ sort of life was the life he was meant to leaf. After all.

"Thish ish the… life," he murmured determinately to no one in particular. It had been bit of a sudden decision to go down to the pub after all, so none of his usual drinking buddies were there - but to hell with them. one didn't need the guys to drink, after all! And he would later have the chance to tell them what fun they had missed, being home with their wives and kids. "_Thish_ iss… the life!" he repeated with more vigour to suppress the twinge of guilt. "Eileen'sh fine. _Fine_."

"Yer wife'sh not fine. She'sh a hag!" the man next to him.

"Shut your mouth," he answered lazily. "Thatsh not the point. _She'sh_ fine. At the hosh…pithal. Women stuff. You know?"

"Yer wife'sh ill? Rotten luck, mate!"

"Nah, she'sn't ill," Tobias said and frowned in dismay. The guy didn't get it. Who ever it was. Neighbour maybe - or maybe they had talked sometime in the pub? He couldn't quite remember. The hair was familiar though. But the guy still didn't get it. "She'sh givin' birth. You know. To a kid." He made a face at the concept.

"Yer wife'sh given birth! You hear that, mates! Tobias'sh a daddy!" the man grasped the idea and ran with it. "Oi, you loutss! Let's give a… a hand to Tobiash! He'sh a daddy now!" And then, much to Tobias disgust he was being congratulated and patted to the back and someone even asked him what the kid would be named and if it was a boy or girl. How the hell was he supposed to know? it was Eileen giving the birth, not him. Though the fact that someone bought free rounds to celebrate the occasion was pretty nice of them.

"Yes, yes, congratulations, Mr. Snape," a disturbingly sober voice said from behind him and a hand landed to his shoulder. "Now why don't you come this way with me, I have few things to inform you off."

Tobias was too drunk to disagree - and even when he did disagree with the other's decision to leave the pub, he couldn't much fight against the man leading him because the bleeding ground wouldn't stay still. He was even forced to seek support from the guy, whoever it was. Probably some stupid neighbour. He had too many of those. "Whaddya want?" he asked. "You have shomething to shay, you can shay it to my fashe!"

"Yes, indeed I can. First, though --"

Tobias saw stars even before the pain registered and he doubled over. The next thing he knew, he was vomiting to the side walk, the bitter taste of malt and stomach acid making him gag more than the initial blow, until his throat hurt, his nose felt wet and his head was bounding. As he spattered and coughed, trying to breathe, the man grasped him by his hair and wash of cool air ran over his face, washing away the moistness from his chin and thankfully taking the smell with it. Then, just as Tobias had started gathering coherency to argue and accuse, something was showed to his lip and forceful tugging by his hair forced him to swallow the liquid.

"There," satisfied voice said while he was pushed aside roughly and the phial which had been emptied to his lips clattered against the half frozen asphalt. "Now let's wait a moment for it to kick in…"

"You bastard! Who are you, what do you think you're doing - give me one good reason not to call the bobbies on you --!" Tobias started and was quieted by the other's appearance. Long robe and cloak over it. Neither something a normal respectable human being would wear in polite society. "Bugger," he murmured instead. "You're one of Eileen's folk, right?"

"Yes, I am," the man, surprisingly young considering the rather forceful actions of before. "My name is Harry, Mr. Snape. I'm here to inform you that I have pledged allegiance to your son."

Tobias, much like Eileen some time earlier, stared at the man with some measure of disbelief and then asked fatly, "What the hell?"

"My name is Harry and I am here to inform you that I have pledged allegiance to your son," the wizard repeated, stepping forward and suddenly kicking Tobias to the chest so that the man was sent to his back on the partially snowy ground. Then the wizard was standing over him, placing one foot upon his chest to keep him down. "I am also here to possibly make living hell of your life due to the fact that you are abusive son of a bitch. I would kill you right this very moment, but consideration towards your son holds me back. For now." Somehow he said it all with oddly polite, almost casual tone.

"Fuck you. Even your kind can't do that sort of thing," Tobias hissed, though he didn't feel quite sure of himself. "Eileen told me. If you do magic, those ministry folk of yours will come and put it right."

"Even they can't reverse death - and I can just as well do it by muggle means," the young wizard answered happily while bowing down a little. "That way they would never find out. Besides, the ministry cannot interfere with what they have no knowledge of. I could take your life this very moment and no one would notice. Your wife might wonder for a while, but she's not exactly fond of you is she? I rather doubt she'd even shed a tear for you."

Tobias swallowed. Whatever the wizard had given him, it had sobered him up well enough for him to take the threat seriously. This was exactly why he regretted marrying Eileen, he thought bitterly. Magic was too unpredictable for any sort of normal person to handle. "What do you want?" he ground out.

"A good life for your son, to whom I owe quite a bit. And for your wife as well," the wizard answered politely. "You will comply, or you will vanish. I trust you understand?"

Tobias ground his teeth, but as the other brought out a wand, he quickly nodded. he had seen enough of that with Eileen to know not to mess with it. "What do you want me to do?"

"Good man," the young wizard answered and lifted his foot from Tobias's chest. Moment after, Tobias was pulled to his feet. "For now the two of us will go and do some redecorating at your house. your son needs a place to stay. Some cleaning up might not be amiss either," the wizard said, moving to walk away. "Then you will show utmost kindness and gentleness to your son and proper respect towards your wife. You will be the proper father and man of your family. Like you're supposed to."

Tobias blinked and after realising that the younger man was heading towards his house, he stumbled to follow. "And that's it?"

"No, that is just the start. Come along, there is much to do," the wizard said with disturbing cheer. "Oh, and you will lessen your drinking - if you will not I will make sure you will not drink another drop of alcohol for the rest of your life."

Tobias eye twitched but he said nothing for now, instead measured the other with his eyes. The wizard was much shorter than him and pretty slim, in fair fight Tobias would've been able to take him easily. But just as he considered it, the other lifted his wand and he thought better of it. "Why are you doing this? Are you from Eileen's family?" he asked. Eileen had a pretty important family in the wizard circles as far as he could remember.

"No, I have no blood relations to her," the wizard answered. "I am here to pay back a debt I owe to your son - several in fact."

"How can you owe a debt to a newborn?"

"It involves magic, war and time travel and few other factors - nothing you should bother yourself with now. You can ask me again later on if it will really interest you," the man answered. "For now all you need to know that you will either play nice or you will play dead. Now… that would be your house, right? Well then, let's get down to business."

In the following hour, the young wizard broke into Tobias's house, inspected every room and ruined his life. In the end Tobias was left with considerably cleaner and tidier house and one extra room filled with baby stuff - purpose of most he didn't even want to know. Tobias almost appreciated the fact that the wizard had also filled their fridge with fresh food, but the list stopped him. It was written on a parchment, pinned to the fridge door and it's unforgiving red writing detailed the new rules he needed to abide by and the consequences he'd suffer if he wouldn't.

He stared at the words "Rule Four; physically or verbally abusing Eileen" which were followed by "will be punished with extreme prejudice", and wondered if he really was that bad. Okay, he might not like his wife that much - she could be one spiteful witch if she wanted to, and most times even without wanting to. And she wasn't exactly front cover material. But he wasn't a wife beater for god's sake. He had _married_ the woman, he wasn't about to _beat_ her. "Rule One; any sort of violence towards Severus will be punished by death." What kind of sorry bastard was violent towards a _child_?

"Well…" he murmured, eying the list for a moment uncomfortably. "Whatever…" Shaking his head, he turned to the cupboards and started throwing out his liquors, mourning the life he apparently wouldn't be leading any more. But in the end he valued living a bit higher than he valued his fun. Insane wizard says; lessen the drinking. "Out with the liquors it is then."

-

When Eileen returned from the hospital with Severus, it was to a wholly changed home. The first thing she noticed that the horrible dirty carpet in the front was clean - gone were the stains she hadn't gotten off even after two years of trying. Then she noticed that the closet next to the front door was tidy. And it only got worse from there. The living room was almost pure, not a speck of dirt anywhere, even the windows were clear and there was no usual layer of dust in the telly. And Tobias, who had against his very nature greeted her at the door and taken her bags, was wearing clean clothes - he had even shaved.

"What the devil?" Eileen finally asked.

"An insane wizard visited," Tobias answered. "And said he'd kill me unless…" he made a vague motion at the house and himself and coughed. "He cleaned up here. And he made a room. There," he pointed. "For the… uh… for Severus?"

Eileen blinked. "Ah," she then said with a nod. Apparently the visit by young wizard had not been a dream. "So, he, uh… cleaned up, threatened to kill you and made us an extra room?" she asked just to be sure, while lowering Severus in his baby car seat to the couch - shockingly clean couch. She peered into the extra room. Like she had suspected, it was made for a baby - it had extra crib and care table and everything. And by the looks if it, it was better equipped than the corner Eileen had cleared to their bathroom. "Did he just transfigure this stuff or…?"

"Transfigure, like change shape of things? No, he had these miniature things which he made larger I think," Tobias answered awkwardly. "I was, uh… trying not to watch. Do you know that guy, Eileen?"

"I've never seen him in my life. Before he showed up at the hospital that is," she answered honestly while sitting down beside Severus. The baby was happily asleep, making Eileen wonder if the mysterious wizard, Harry, had really gone and sworn his loyalty to the boy. In the hospital. In some room with other babies… and then the man had came here to upturn her entire life. All for the little sleeping brat in front of her. No wonder Severus was sleeping so soundly.

"Does… this sort of thing happen often with your kind?" her husband asked after moment of awkward silence.

"I don't think I've ever heard of anything like this," she shook her head. "I've heard of time travel, though." And if what she remembered about the meeting with Harry was even nearly correct, then the wizard was using them as excuse. Or cover. A very weird cover, but wizard logic was pretty often rather faulty. Who knew what Harry's real motives were. To change history or future or whichever, obviously, but to what direction and why, it was anyone's guess. But since his - rather poor - cover was the well being of a single child, it couldn't be _too_ bad.

"Can't you go to your ministry, and tell them to take care of this guy?" Tobias asked more curiously than angrily. "I mean… if this sort of thing doesn't happen often, then… there should be rules against it. And he's threatening to kill me. That at least ought to be illegal even in your world."

"Well, I suspect he could be at least be told off for it, and I suppose I could go to someone about it… but there are few problems," Eileen shrugged. "One, he hasn't actually done anything yet, except for the fact that he cleaned our house. Two, we don't know who he is, where he came from, where he is staying, or anything else which would actually help someone catch him. And, more importantly…" she smiled. "Three, I don't think I want to."

"Eileen --"

"Tobias, the guy swore allegiance to my child and is going to protect and care for him, which saves me from whole lot of trouble. And he's pretty good at house work, which also saves me whole lot of trouble," she glanced around them and nodded with appreciation. Then she looked at him again and smirked. "And he made _you_ of all people smarten up! Hell, I'm keeping this guy."

Tobias frowned. "He _threatened to kill me_," he said slowly.

"Yes," Eileen nodded calmly.

"You don't care?"

"Tobias, darling, when I went to give birth to _your_ first born son, you went to a bloody _pub_," she said and smiled coldly. "_I_ want to kill you."

"Ah. Right," he nodded and smiled awkwardly. There was a moment of strained silence. "So, now what?"

"I am going to have our son settled, and you are going to make me a sandwich," she said and stood up. "And after that we'll see."

She inspected the new baby room to find that it was well stocked - especially considering that a wizard had made it. There was a drawer full of nappies of just the right size, there were new clothes for night, day, summer and winter wear, there were toys, most of the soft and unbreakable, there were also every needed powder and ointment. There even was a baby monitor sitting next to the brand new crib, which was in much better shape than the second had crib she had gotten.

Awkwardly Eileen settled Severus to the crib before spending a moment to figure out how the baby monitor worked - since Harry had put it there, he meant it to be used, and considering that the man had the power to create a room out of nothing to their otherwise rather small row house and still make it look like it belonged there… well, she was in no hurry to go against the man's wishes. Once she was sure everything was just about okay, he took the second monitor and headed back to the living room, expecting her sandwich to be ready. She was starving.

"I got an idea," Tobias, slightly brightened now, said while handing the sandwich to her. She examined it with mild surprise. It was _turkey_. Had Tobias really visited the store while she had been gone? Tobias, not noticing the fact that she now headed forward to examine the fridge as well, continued on. "This wizard that's bothering us, he swore allegiance, right? So, he should do whatever we want him to do."

"He swore allegiance to Severus, dear," Eileen snorted and then frowned at the contents of their fridge. "And I doubt he will even do whatever Severus wants him to do once Severus will be old enough to actually want something. The whole thing is a sham to cover up whatever he's really doing. Did you visit the store? And where on earth did you get the money for this?"

"The wizard did it," Tobias answered, frowning as well. She glanced at him with slight appreciation. Frown suited Tobias - with the nose and the eyebrows and the dark eyes, the man looked positively savage when he frowned, rather hawk-like. Idly she wondered if Severus, who had inherited his father's nose apparently, would look the same. "What is he really doing then?" Tobias asked.

"Who knows," Eileen shrugged, biting to her sandwich and continuing to examine the fridge. They were well stocked thanks to Harry, whom she was starting to like more and more. Would it always be like this? No, she didn't mind that at all. "He said he comes from future - hence the whole thing about being indebted to Severus being slightly plausible. I imagine something happened which he wants to change. We are just an excuse. And, unless he proves out to be really weak or really stupid and I doubt either will happen, we have little to say to it."

"Time travel. Bah. You really believe him?"

"Well, not really. But it doesn't make much difference," she shrugged and eyed the sandwich in appreciation. After hospital food, it was a heaven's sent. Definitely the best sandwich she had ever tasted. "I say we make the most of it, though. He intends to take care of Severus and see to his needs. Let's be nice and maybe he'll do the same for us."

-

Merry Xmas! This is yet another time travel idea I had, something little closer to the crack side than whatever I've written before. Dunno when/if will be continued, but I hope you enjoyed what little I wrote. Hasn't been betaed, so if you notice any grammar errors and such which bother you, let me know and I'll fix.


	2. Makings of a Kingdom

**Makings of a Kingdom  
**

They did not see Harry for a week, and eventually started to think that the whole thing had been a prank of some sort, maybe by some of Eileen's old Hogwarts mates who thought it'd be hilarious to disrupt their lives so. Still, one did not put as much effort to a prank as Harry had to the baby room, so they continued to tread cautiously, taking care of their son with attentiveness and care they might have not otherwise expressed. The list in the fridge door even kept them from sniping to each other in their usual fervour and one might've even called the atmosphere of their house civil. It got a tad boring pretty soon.

When Harry did finally show up, it was with slightly better manners than the first appearance. He rang the door bell and when Eileen answered it, she was not greeted a purely wizardly sight, but instead she saw a young man wearing the pure muggle outfit of a butler, ironed, starched and even with impeccable white gloves. And by the looks of the expensive looking black car in the driveway, he had also come by purely muggle means.

"Madam. Might I come inside?" the wizard, or butler, which ever he was this time, asked. While Eileen examined his short black hair, which despite otherwise well straightened appearance looked like something you'd encounter in a loony-bin, he held up a briefcase. "I have some papers and plans to show you and your husband and few documents you ought to sign unless that is too much trouble…"

Eileen blinked before quickly moving aside to let the man in. "Of course," she said, feeling a bit bewildered by the other's appearance. Mad hairstyles aside, she had never seen a wizard looking so muggle. Hell, she had lived among muggles for years and she still hadn't quite mastered the talent of blending in. Though, on other hand, the clothes made Harry stick out like sore, burned and frost-bitten thumb in their neighbourhood… "Uh, we haven't seen you in a week. We were starting to think you had forgotten us."

"No, no. Merely arranging some matters. Mr. Snape," Harry greeted Tobias who had been watching the telly. "Good morning to you. I trust you have followed your list?"

"To the letter. Not that it was much of a hardship considering that no sane man would do half of the things in that bloody list," Tobias muttered with a glare. "I don't know what sort of bastard do you think I am, but I'd never beat my wife."

"Keep telling yourself that, sir, and I might not have to kill you for actually doing it," Harry answered calmly while placing the case to the coffee table. Then he looked around before walking to Severus's room and going to pick up the half asleep baby, returning to the living room with the babe tucked gently in his arms. "Well then," he said as if it was perfectly normal for strange people just to go and pick other's babies up like that. "Let's get to business. Mr. Snape, if you would open the case…"

Eileen sat beside her husband as he did as ordered. The case was, thankfully, full of muggle papers rather than parchments. The topmost of them was a paper they had yet to sign - the one that decided Severus's name forever. It had the name already written in it, and every necessary slot filled except for their signatures. Severus Tobias Prince.

"You honestly think I will accept my son bearing my wife's maiden name?" Tobias asked.

"I expect you to simply sign," Harry answered calmly, as if Tobias's opinions meant nothing to him. And they probably did.

"But why?" Eileen asked. "I don't know if you know, but I was disowned from my family. Giving Severus their last name won't make him part their family."

"No, it won't, but I still like the name Prince better than I like the name Snape," Harry said, leaning back and looking down to half asleep Severus with a smile. "Just sign the paper, Madam, Mr. Snape, and we can move on to more important matters."

Tobias grit his teeth, but Eileen shrugged her shoulders and reached for a pen. She signed the paper swiftly before handing the pen to her husband. He glared at her, which she answered with roll of her eyes. "Remember what I said and just sign it," she said with a sigh. It wasn't like they had much choice in the matter - and really, what difference it would make what last name the boy had? He'd still be their boy... which in reality didn't mean that much to either of them.

"Excellent," Harry said once the paper was signed, and reached to take it. "I'll sort this out at the office later on to make it official. Do you want to hold a proper christening with ceremonies?" They gave him a flat look which he answered with a chuckle. "Very well. Moving on…" he motioned them to look at the case again.

The next papers were thin paper sheets with angular drawings in them. Blueprints of a house, Eileen quickly realised. "This is the estate I am going to build just little further from Spinner's End. I've already purchased the estate and the construction will begin there as soon as the seasons permit," Harry said while the couple examined the blueprints with wonder. There were three of them - two for floors, one for basement. The place was going to be big - more like a mansion than normal house. "The estate also contains fair amount of the land which will be made a garden eventually. If you two have something to add or perhaps a request for something you might want at the house…"

"Wait, this is going to be _our_ house?" Tobias asked with shock.

"No, it's going to be _my_ house," Harry answered. "In which you will also live. It will be best that way, easiest for me to provide for young master. You as his parents can either accept the invitation or give him up."

Tobias looked like he wanted to argue, but did nothing but shake his head in silent, annoyed disbelief.

Eileen on other hand ignored all the indignity inside her that was annoyed at the thought of being told what to do like that and stared at the plans of the house for a moment. As far as she could read them, the house was meant to be slightly smaller than the place where she had grown up, but still nothing to sneer at. Lot of rooms and space and balconies and what not. Perfect house for a little pureblood. Except only she was pureblood and despite this man's beliefs, Severus was not. "I'd like a potions laboratory," she said after a moment, feeling a little bewildered. She hadn't though she'd experience luxury again and here it was, staring at a face. And if it was slightly pricklier than she would've preferred… well, she wasn't exactly soft either.

"There is one already in the plans, here," Harry answered, pointing at the basement plans. "These two here will be the storages for potions ingredients, one for ingredients that will be stored in cold and others for warm storing. I am also considering adding an herbal garden and green house to the garden where some fresh ingredients will be grown."

"Oh," she murmured. Harry didn't do things half way, did he?

"Well then, I want a workshop," Tobias said, folding his arms.

"A workshop, Mr. Snape?" Harry asked curiously. "For what?"

"Tobias used to sculpt," Eileen explained. "But things got rough and he had to get a job at the textile mill."

"Ah, I see. Well, workshop shall be added, then. What are your working materials? Wood, stone, metal…?"

A bit dubious Tobias gave the list of his materials which Harry wrote down with a satisfied nod. "Very good," the young wizard in butler's outfit said. "I will keep you apprised about the process of the construction so if you have something else to add you can do so. Now, let us move to the next matter of business…"

The blue prints were moved aside to show a mixed bunch of papers detailing plans for Severus's education and such. From amongst them, Harry pulled out two papers, both with a simplified list which detailed the events of the next eighteen years. Eileen read through the list, noting the dates for when Severus would start muggle school, when he'd start Hogwarts, when he'd have his OWL's and NEWT's and when he would graduate. The dates for Severus's vaccine injections and hospital visits were also in the list along with some rather mysterious remarks about Diagon Alley and meeting some people and even something about Albus Dumbledore.

"The transfiguration professor?" she asked confusedly.

"He will be the Headmaster of Hogwarts by the time young master will go to Hogwarts," Harry explained while taking out a wand conjuring a bottle of milk for Severus out of nowhere. Eileen opted it best to not to say anything about Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration as the man easily begun feeding her son with the bottle of milk which shouldn't exist at all. "The list you see before you is the basic timeline for the following years. More will be added later on I imagine, but those are the important points for now which you will keep in mind."

"Why muggle school?" Eileen asked. She certainly hadn't intended to send her son to a muggle school.

"It'll save us the trouble of teaching him to read, write and count and so forth. Among other things, and it will give him experience with muggles which he will no doubt require later in life. And he will also meet a rather nice little redhead if everything goes according to plans," Harry shrugged. "Is there anything you disagree with the lists?"

Tobias seemed to disagree with most of it but merely shook his head and huffed to express his arguments. Harry nodded happily and waved his wand. With a snap, everything was packed back to the case. "Very well then," he said before moving forward and handing Severus to Eileen along with the conjured bottle. "Now, I must be off again. I have things to do, plans to make, people to meet… and so forth."

"Wait, before you go… when will the house be ready?" Tobias asked.

"I'm hoping it won't take all of the year, but it won't probably be ready before autumn due to it being the winter," Harry answered while taking the briefcase. "I'd begin building right now, but for some reason the local construction companies don't want to get into the work with the ground frozen. So we shall have to wait until spring at least before we can even begin. Now, is there anything you might need at this time to ensure the complete safety and comfort of your son?"

Eileen gave it a serious thought and came to the conclusion that they probably had everything they needed - thanks to the well stocked baby room she didn't even need to buy clothes for Severus which was good, and the nappies would last for months. Tobias seemed to have different ideas as he soon said. "We need money," before adding. "I don't make that much at the mill and Eileen's not up to working. It'll be a stretch to support the family with a baby and all."

Harry's smile was polite and deadly as he took out a wallet and threw a wad of bills to the table. "For clothes, food, bills and general comfort. If a single penny goes towards luxuries and pleasure, I will extort a pay back from your very hide, Mr. Snape. With extreme interest. Also, if you start putting on more weight than healthy, I will put you on diet."

"What?" Tobias asked in honest confusion. Eileen found the latter addition rather odd as well, and gave their odd mixture of extortionist and butler a confused look.

"I grew up with obese people. It wasn't a pleasant experience," Harry answered, straightening his bow tie and then smoothing his white gloved hand over the breast of his suit. "Well then. I will be off, but I will come again eventually to see how my prince is doing, at least."

-

It was odd how easily one got used to having a lunatic in one's life, Tobias mused while looking over his house. The change that happened after Severus's birth had been sudden, dramatic and very permanent. And he it was shocking him to find that now, some months later, he was almost alright with it.

Neither Tobias nor Eileen were exactly domesticated people. He was the first to admit that of himself and with some authority he could say the same of Eileen. They were more like loners who had decided that being loners together wasn't any way worse than being loner alone, and that was about it. House chores, cleaning, taking care of baby, occasionally even cooking, none of them had ever been really part of their world view and nowhere near their priority lists. That was why their life together had always been wrought with fights over whose turn it was to vacuum or cook and whether or not the clothes they had really needed washing.

It had been fine. So, their house hadn't been the place to bring friends for nice cup of afternoon tea. It wasn't that they had that many friends anyway - Eileen had none and the few Tobias had he met at the pub. They had been perfectly content with some measure of mess and dust had never bothered them and if there were rats in the house, it wasn't a problem. Eileen could use them as test subjects for her potions, when ever she had ingredients to make some - which was rarely, as they were often expensive, but it still happened.

But now… now all that was behind them. Harry, their new master, their odd butler, their weird stalker, however you called him, came in once a while like whirlwind of organised chaos. He flicked his wand left and right and left impeccable purity at his wake. He inspected and fixed and perfected until it was hard to find anything wrong about the house. Harry had not only made the place clean, blown away the remnant smells of past potion fumes and corrected whatever other errors he could find, but he had taken away the nasty draft from the kitchen and the bathroom, he had repaired the pluming and made the bathroom _gleam_ like something brand new and for months Tobias had not seen a single rat or cockroach inside.

Tobias, despite all his attempts of clinging to his believes and principles, had eventually conceded a defeat because of all of it. It was very hard to hate a man who made your life so much better. Even if that man was upturning your life otherwise, manipulating you to suit his own needs, had who knew what motivations for those actions and his very own brand of insanity. Harry was politely ruthless to them and brutally honest about being manipulative, so it wasn't like the man was lying to them or cheating them. And though there were still unsolved, undetermined factors about the wizard's motivations, there was something Tobias had came to trust and even respect; Harry was doing it all for Severus. And eventually the boy's father himself had started considering a stroke of luck.

He stretched his hands and turned his attention to the piece of wood he had been absently carving with a knife. He hadn't carved or sculpted for better part of four years now - not since things had gotten harder and he had gotten the job at the mill. Things had spiralled downwards from there as eight to fourteen hours a day had left him no energy to carve which had then resulted no money from his preferred occupation. The job at the mill had been the only thing supporting him and Eileen and as he had hated the job, well… it had ended with some stress. Actually, more than just some.

But now that he no longer needed to work overtime to pay the bills - Harry paid them now, after all - things were getting better. That lessened his tiredness and the stress was almost gone. It was a bit difficult to live with the whole less drinking thing, but considering that his very life might be on the line, he had even managed to learn to live with that change, slowly but steadily. So, not only was he less tired, less stressed and less irritable, but he no longer spend most of his free time at the pub. That left him with surprising amount of loose hours each day and he wasn't really that fond of watching the telly that he could've done it for six hours straight.

To have piece of mouldable wood at his hand was both a shock and a relief. It was also relieving to find that his hands still held knife steadily and he still knew how to work it just right along the wood to bring out the shapes he wanted to make. He had missed carving - and sculpting - more than he had even realised.

And that was what made him appreciate Harry's existence more than he previously had. Because now he realised what he had been missing and how badly things had turned out. It almost made some sense of the horrible rules pinned to the fridge door. Few more years of stress and anxiety - and drinking - and he really might've lifted his hand against Eileen.

Three precise knocks resounded from the front door, making him leave the piece of wood to the table along with the knife. He knew the knocking too well to dawdle about answering it. And sure enough, it was Harry behind the door in his impeccable butler uniform. "Good afternoon, Mr. Snape," the man said with a polite nod. Usually this was the point where he pressed inside without permission, but this time he did not. "If you're not too busy with your carving, I would like to ask you to come with me."

Tobias decided against asking how the man had known what he had been doing. Harry was probably spying them with magic. "Is there something wrong with Eileen, or Severus?" he asked while reaching for his jacket and keys. Eileen was out to visit the hospital with the kid - some sort of check up. Maybe something had happened.

"No, no, the examination is going well. I merely thought this would be a perfect opportunity for you to see the construction site of my mansion," Harry answered while leading him towards the black car the wizard drove around in. Harry opened the back door and held it for the elder man - like a chauffer. "The construction began two weeks ago and the foundations have been laid out."

Tobias looked between Harry and the car and decided to go along with it. Harry was bouncing back between extortionist and a butler most of the time, so it made sense that the man would also play a chauffer. It felt a bit stupid though, with him in his workman's clothes sitting in the back of such a nice car like some rich fellow while Harry, who was the rich guy, drove like some servant. But Harry was weird like that.

Inside the car followed Harry's odd act. It was just like the cars one could see in telly, one with the back seats sealed off from the front by a soundproof glass. It was down at that moment, though, so they could still speak. "I guess it's going well then?" Tobias asked after the wizard had sat down as well. "The building, I mean."

"It is going according to the schedule," Harry answered and after clicking his seatbelt on he backed from the driveway and then drove to the road. "I am going to have the house finished first, however. The green houses and your workshop will be added only once the main house is finished - that way we can move in quicker."

"Green houses?" Tobias asked. Harry had mentioned them before. "Eileen's good at making potions, but I wouldn't say she has a green thumb."

"Neither do I, but I have… experience with gardening. I shall try my hand at it and whether or not I enjoy doing it for myself and see where it goes from there," the wizard shrugged his shoulders and turned off from the main road. "I am also considering adding stables to the grounds and maybe having some horses…"

"Horses?" Tobias asked with mild disbelief. "Why?"

"For fun. And it seems suitable, though I suppose that can come later," Harry shrugged again and continued to explain what had happened so far with the whole mansion project. It was odd mixture of report and boasting. Tobias couldn't quite decide if he felt like master hearing his servants report about the construction of his own house, or like a prisoner who was listening to the explanation about his new and improved prison. With Harry, it was little bit of both and neither.

Like Harry had promised, the house was near Spinner's End, less than mile away from their row house in the woods where Tobias had used to play as a little boy. Great part of the woods had been cut down because of the construction, and there was a new fence apparently as marker of where the grounds started. Momentarily Tobias felt a bit sad for the brook where he had carved his very first boat - it was smack in middle of Harry's grounds - before Harry drove closer and he saw that the brook was still there. A great yellow excavator was digging a great big hole next to it.

Harry stopped the car and while Tobias stared at the hole in confusion, he circled around the car to open door for him. "That's where the pond will be," Harry explained without being asked to. "I am considering adding a pavilion next to it if it comes out as nice as I want it to be."

Tobias opened his mouth, but didn't know quite what to say. Slowly, things started adding up. House, which was more like mansion. Two green houses and work shop. Possible stables. A decorative pond, a _pavilion_… "Just how bloody rich are you?" he asked with wonder.

"Very," Harry answered without hint of modesty or audacity. "Little bit of investing at the right time can bring one rather far even from a meagre start, you know. Especially if you have the records of the stock market of the future…"

The elder man turned to look at him in shock. The whole time travelling thing had been more of a joke than anything else before, but now it had a new flavour. "You're using your knowledge of the future to your benefit," he said with shock. "You're using it to make yourself rich…"

"Of course," the wizard nodded to him. "Now, if you would come this way, I will show you the house itself…"

The blueprints hadn't really shown how big the house was going to be, Tobias soon realised. It wasn't going to be exactly massive, but it would certainly be a mansion - the sort where people dreamed of living. By the looks of the basement level alone, the rooms were going to be big and spacious. And with Harry going on about wings and sections and certain rooms, the vastness of the whole thing slowly gained a more determinate picture. Once the house would finish, his little family would be living like royalty. Or like the prisoners of royalty.

"You can't be doing this solely for Severus," Tobias finally said while they examined the spot which would be the front yard - there would be a _fountain_ there. "No one can do this much just for someone else, not without getting paid. A lot."

"No, mostly I am doing this for amusement," Harry answered, folding his hands neatly behind his back.

"Amusement?" the muggle asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes. Amusement," the wizard smiled. "One really doesn't learn to appreciate the pleasure of doing things just for the sake of doing them, before they have the capability of doing pretty much anything. This, for me, is one of the most entertaining things I've done in my life." He chuckled softly, politely, and then motioned ahead. "Now, walk this way, this is where your workshop will be…"

-

Eileen saw the house as well not much after Tobias had. By that time, however, she had already heard Tobias's begrudgingly excited explanation about it and, as it usually went, started seriously doubting the whole affair. A mansion and a mad rich guy catering to their needs - even if they were being held at wand point - was something… that just didn't _happen._ And as she thought of it further, the less it made sense. Even with wizarding logic with all its beautiful lack of common sense applied, it made no bloody sense.

"For the sake of Merlin's ingrown toenails, why the hell don't you just take the goddamn kid from us and be done with it?" she asked while Harry dressed Severus for the trip to the construction site. "Wouldn't it just be easier to pretend to be Severus's father if you owe him so bloody much? Why cater us around like this?"

"I wouldn't make much of a parent," the mad-butler answered and lifted Eileen's boy to his arm before using his wand to pack a travel bag for the boy. "And it wouldn't be even half as fun. Are you ready to go, madam?"

"You're manipulating us for fun?" Eileen asked just to make sure.

"Among other things," Harry agreed pleasantly. "Are you ready to go?"

"Give me a moment," Eileen snapped and walked away so that she wouldn't hit the worst/best thing that had happened to her mismatched family. Harry was good for them and goddamn annoying and rather frightening and damn if she wasn't irritated about the whole thing being done for _shit and giggles_. Hitting the man would've been highly pleasurable. But she wasn't suicidal enough - and despite everything, she rather liked the idea of living in a mansion again. The row houses… well, one couldn't call them luxury.

Of course, there was more to Harry's motives, she thought while fetching a hand bag and checking that her jacket was clean and glancing at her reflection in a mirror. There was that cover thing and of course Severus himself and who knew what else. But it was the whole amusement part which was making Harry keep them. If the man hadn't thought it to be entertaining, he probably would've kicked them out of the picture the moment Eileen had gone through the trouble of pushing her not-bastard into the world.

"I hate you a little. Just so that we're clear," she said she met Harry in the hall way. "But I am sick and tired of being poor so I will try not to do much about it."

"I shall keep that in mind, madam," he answered calmly and opened the door for her whilst balancing Severus's car seat and a bag in his other arm. With a huff, Eileen stepped forward, waited until Harry opened the car door for her and then sat down. Harry strapped the baby car seat to the front seat with himself, but she didn't bother to argue with it. She certainly didn't mind if Harry wanted to hog the brat to himself.

"What was Severus like in the future?" she asked absently after Harry had sat down and started the car.

"Like how, power-, wealth-, personality-, influence-, appearance- or reputation-wise?" Harry enquired calmly.

"All of it?" Eileen asked a little unsurely. Mostly she had meant it generally, wanting to know what kind of person her son had been to impact such idiotic loyalty on someone as powerful as Harry seemed to be.

"He was among the five most powerful people I've ever met - and I've met lot of people," Harry answered. "His wealth was meagre, naturally, as you had little to leave to him when you and your husband died and being a teacher doesn't pay that much. His personality was harsh and hostile and I don't think he had a single person he could honestly call a friend around the time he died - the one who probably trusted him unconditionally he killed himself, though that's a long story. His influence though was pretty wide spread in the last year of his life - he served a powerful dark wizard and was trusted as that man's second hand, so lot of people did as he told. He was also the headmaster of Hogwarts too for a year before he died, but I doubt it was enjoyable experience for him, or that it paid him well. We didn't have much of an economy at the time. His looks were pretty much like your own, except he will inherit your husband's general bone structure and nose. Thorough his life his reputation was extremely poor, though he was intelligent, he was also very dark and despised for it, and when he was killed, no one cried for him. Or much cared."

Eileen swallowed, staring out of the window to the woods passing by. The wizard had lost her at the part where he had casually commented about her and Tobias's death. She had caught the part of her son being a murderer, a dark wizard and a headmaster of Hogwarts and nobody caring when Severus eventually died. "Except for you?" she asked.

"I didn't care either," Harry answered. "Not before I found out few truths behind his actions, and even then I didn't really care."

"But you do now?"

"Not really."

Eileen frowned. "Then why the hell are you doing all this for him?" she asked irritably. Trying to get a straight answer from Harry was either like taking a hammer to the head or pulling a tooth. Either he was brutally honest or he was insane. It was getting more than slightly irritating.

"Because I respect him and I can use him," Harry answered and pulled the car to a slightly messy yard of even messier construction site. "Here we are," he said, turning the engine off and sitting up. While he went to attend to Severus like the nanny he seemed intent of being, Eileen freed herself from the seat belt and sat up from the car, looking around.

"People generally don't like being used," she said.

Harry smiled indulgently while picking incoherently mumbling Severus from the car seat and holding him against his shoulder. "Is there any part of the construction site you would be interested in seeing, madam?" he asked instead of answering to her sentiment.

"Just give me a general tour and I will say if something catches my eye," she answered with a sigh and then followed as he started explaining what was happening in the site. It was pretty much how Tobias had described it, but Tobias had seen the site a few days ago and in the time between then and now, the digging of the pond had been finished and now few men were doing something to the hole they had made, apparently making it suitable of actually being a pond.

"First of all," Eileen started when Harry finished the tour by asking if she had anything to add. "That is no place for a green house, not unless you cut down those trees as well - the whole thing will be under shade for most of the day otherwise. Move it or at least build another under direct sunlight - some plants can be grown in shade, of course, but I for one want a few which need direct sunlight. And some which require moonlight, which is also blocked by the trees. And if you want to build a goddamn stable, put more distance between it and the house, my family house had a stable and when ever the containment charms broke, it stank like nobody's business. Move the pavilion some twenty feet to the right, don't put it directly between the house and the pond, it will ruin the view. And next, where are you putting the garage? Because the only place I can see for it, is directly between the house and the pond and you will ruin the whole thing if you build it there."

Harry might have good plans. But she wasn't beyond pointing out each and every flaw she saw. Harry was, aside from being mad and powerful and scary and utterly idiotic, a man after all. He couldn't even hope to see the things in the point of view of a woman, which was often the point of view where the errors were easiest to see. Harry, of course, merely blinked and made note of every one of her arguments and objections and opinions and even wrote a few of them down for later reference. By the time they returned to the car, he had even retouched the plans to accommodate the garage and to make a parking lot beside the house and at a safe distance from the pond or the future pavilion.

Though Eileen had been hoping to get a rise out of the man so that she could vent out her irritation in nice old fashioned sniping match, it was nice to know that the man wasn't beyond taking advices. It was one thing to have a madman lording over you, and another if he was a madman who thought he was always right about everything.

-

Dumdidum. I'm bored. My apologies for possible grammar errors and such, if you notice any and they bother you, let me know about them and I will fix them.


End file.
